Some Southern blogs tend to romanticize the South and ignore or justify the worst parts of it's history. Others are only interested in reinforcing one standardized, politically correct opinion, therefore necessarily stereotyping all Southerners who love their heritage. Both extremes are worth correcting.

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Friday, October 15, 2010

Confederate memory and Ole Miss

Some thoughts on Confederate memory and Ole Miss' New Mascot- The Rebel Black Bear:

Confederate memory, like southern history (and indeed all of American history) is complicated. And that complexity comes through even in the figure of a seemingly innocuous black bear. We aren't just dealing with a mean animal that can potentially intimidate opponents or that little kiddies will enjoy at football events; but something that is meant to represent the essence of Ole Miss, as an entity that is bound up with the traditions of locality and state.

The lore surrounding the black bear is deeply tied up with the South's complex racial past; it is by no means a figure uncomplicated by race. While this racial association is not visibly written on the figure of the black bear - it is there, embedded in the stories which give the symbol its life. And in an ironic twist it even manages a backhanded paw swipe at those who would dethrone the Confederate symbolism of Ole Miss.

Has anyone else noticed the billboards that bring up the fact that the mascot is a Louisiana Black Bear (Ursus americanus luteolus). I have to agree with Dick. Is this what they have named as their mascot? An animal from a completely different state.